The E-Sylum:  Volume 5, Number 47, November 24, 2002, Article 14

A LITERATE ENGRAVER: ANDREW BELL

  A recent issue of NewsScan Daily included an interesting item
  about a remarkable engraver, Andrew Bell, who engraved
  banknotes of the Royal Bank of Scotland as well as the
  illustrations for the early editions of the Encyclopaedia
  Britannica.

  "Creating the Encyclopædia Britannica was the joint idea of
  Bell and Macfarquhar, who drew their inspiration for the
  publication from the success of Diderot's Encyclopédie,
  which in turn had been inspired by the impressive
  Cyclopaedia brought out in 1728 by the London globe-maker
  Ephraim Chambers. Obtaining subscribers and seeing to the
  printing and other publishing details became the responsibility
  of Bell and Macfarquhar, while Smellie, an Edinburgh
  intellectual of proven scholarship, looked after the editing,
  writing and arrangement of articles."

  "Bell's business consisted of engraving letters, names, and
  crests on gentlemen's plate, dog's collars and so forth. He
  was never greatly admired as an engraver, and many of his
  plates for the first, second, and third editions of the Britannica
  are more highly regarded today than in his own time. How
  the arrangement between Bell and Macfarquhar to produce
  an encyclopaedia was made is not known; but it was Bell
  who engaged Smellie as compiler of the first edition, and his
  interest in the publication never flagged. He shared
  proprietorship with Macfarquhar, and in 1793, after
  Macfarquhar's death, he became sole proprietor."

  Does anyone have access to information on Andrews Bell's
  banknote engraving activities?

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  Wayne Homren, Editor

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